


lions and tigres and what's the French for bear?

by lazarusthefirst



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Bad Jokes, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Zoo trip, mentions of past trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2017-07-16
Packaged: 2018-12-03 02:51:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11522991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazarusthefirst/pseuds/lazarusthefirst
Summary: The Trojans go to the zoo for team bonding and activities, and Jean has never seen an animal before





	lions and tigres and what's the French for bear?

**Author's Note:**

> I wish I had a better title
> 
> (Sybilina deserves credit for like half the jokes idk)

Once a month Jeremy tried to organise team outings with a twist. It would be easy to drop the Trojans off at the beach or bowling alley and let them go crazy but team bonding could be as easily achieved with a 24 pack of beer and a dorm room. Team cooperation was a whole other kegger. And he’d been watching Jean for the last few weeks, brow furrowing as he held himself stiff and unsmiling like he thought drawing attention to himself would get his lunch money stolen. Now more than ever, Jeremy wanted to organize a fun-filled outing with zero potential for sadness.

So he rounded up his senior Trojans and dutifully shepherded them on to the bus one sunny Saturday afternoon. They’d suffered a particularly dull game the evening before, trouncing the Arizona Rattlesnakes 27-3. Laila’s pity points. Jean said quietly to Jeremy afterwards that he’d been rather bored on the court. Being taken into Jean’s confidence - such as it was - was a little thrilling, but didn’t like the idea of any of his Trojans unhappy in the game. 

Jean hadn’t said anything about his feelings on the zoo. As it turned out, that was because he hadn’t known where they were going. When the bus pulled into the parking lot he turned to Jeremy. ‘Where are we?’ he demanded, anxiety threaded through his voice.

‘We’re at the zoo,’ Jeremy said, hoping he wouldn’t have to explain what a zoo was. ‘Hang on, I just have to pass these out.’

He made his way down the bus, handing out sheets of paper to every other person. 

‘Fuck is this, Jeremy?’ Connor asked interestedly, leaning forward in his seat. 

‘It’s a challenge sheet,’ Jeremy said, making his way back up to the top of the bus to Jean, who didn’t have a sheet. His questioning glance up at Jeremy almost threw him off. Something about Jean’s eyes always made him want to stop and stare. 

‘Fuck is a challenge sheet?’ Connor followed up.

‘Read the instructions,’ Jeremy said, still thinking about Jean. ‘It’s all there.’

‘How come you don’t have one?’ Laila asked.

‘Jean doesn’t have one either,’ Connor pointed out.

‘You’ve got a lot to say today,’ Jeremy said pleasantly. He raised his voice. ‘Everyone shut up now. You’re all partnered up, and you’ve gotta get photos of everything on your lists and send them to me before we all meet for lunch at 1.’

‘Or what?’ Alvarez asked, just to be belligerent. 

Jeremy smiled at her. ‘Or you run the half-marathon Coach signed us up for next month,’ he said calmly.

There was a loud rustling of paper as everyone grabbed at their sheets and bent over them. Jeremy sat down beside Jean with a satisfied smile.

‘What are you doing?’ Jean asked. He didn’t sound like he was having fun.

Jeremy nudged him a little with his shoulder. He wanted to keep it relaxed and not put any kind of pressure on Jean. He’d noticed in the past that big situations like this made him a little stiff, like he knew he was supposed to be enjoying himself and was embarrassed that he couldn’t figure out how.

 ‘It’s just a team bonding thing’ he said, making a mental note to tone it down until Jean could get orientated. ‘I’ve paired them up with the people I think they need to work with the most. They’ll have to work together to get everything. It’s just until lunch time, though. I’m not a tyrant.’

Jean frowned. ‘How come we don’t have to do it?’

Jeremy hesitated. ‘Two reasons,’ he began. ‘First, I actually can’t get out of it. Coach only ok’d this if I volunteered. And secondly …’ He paused, and glanced away. ‘Well, I just thought you and I could hang out and relax a bit. You can do it if you want to, though.’

Jean was quiet for a minute. ‘No,’ he said, finally. 

Jeremy had thought as much. Jean would likely be disorientated enough as it was, and Jeremy really wanted him to just enjoy the zoo. He strongly suspected he’d never been before.

The zoo was as busy as a Saturday would suggest, and Jeremy was glad he’d hung back while the others had, predictably, sprinted ahead.

‘I hope they do their challenge sheets,’ said Jeremy critically. ‘No one ever takes a half-marathon seriously until they’re actually doing one.’

Jeremy looked down at his map of the zoo. He knew he’d have to take the lead initially. ‘Ok, where to first? I don’t know about you, but I like to see everything,’ he said over his shoulder. Jean was looking around him, a spark of interest in his eyes at last. 

‘I’ve never seen any of these before,’ he said. He was lagging behind a little to read the signs. 

Jeremy shrugged and smiled. ‘They’re all great,’ he offered. ‘Will you come to them all with me?’

Jean looked at him, and Jeremy wished he was better at reading his face by now. Jean kept so much of it locked away.

They made their way through the first few locations with Jean trailing him. Jeremy thought at first it was out of disinterest, until he finally chanced a good look at his face.

Jean was gazing at everything like he was on an alien planet. Jeremy had thought he’d been exaggerating when he’d said that he’d never seen any of those animals before - now he was wondering if Jean had ever seen _any_ animals before. He stared at the elephants with the widest eyes, so much so that Jeremy had to ask.

‘They’re a lot different in real life, aren’t they.’ He kept his voice quiet in case Jean was embarrassed, but he was apparently too distracted for that. 

‘I … I mean, I knew they existed,’ Jean said, voice hushed. He leaned in towards him but didn’t take his eyes off the gentle giants lumbering around in their vast enclosure. ‘I just didn’t think they would be so big.’

Jeremy watched him in quiet delight as Jean read the provided information about elephants, then looked at them some more. Jeremy was loathe to drag him away, but he was so excited to see what else Jean hadn’t seen before.

As they moved on, Jeremy noticed Jean trying to look nonchalant, like he wasn’t really too interested. He wondered if he was feeling a little self conscious now. 

‘Do you have a favourite animal?’ he asked Jean, dropping back a little so they were walking side by side. Jean just shrugged, so Jeremy went on. ‘Mine are the birds. Some of the parrots can, like, talk back at you. They’re really animated and colourful.’

He was grinning; Jean watched him curiously, then said ‘I’ve never seen one of those either.’ His eyes darted around Jeremy’s face for a moment before he asked ‘So, what’s next?’

They went to the African plains section next and saw the gazelles and the zebras and the rhinos. Jean stared so hard at the zebras and then turned his frown on Jeremy and said ’Seriously?’ Jeremy burst out laughing at his expression, and didn’t see how it lightened in response.

The giraffes seemed to shock him too. Jeremy was really starting to wonder if Jean had ever seen so much as a picture of a wild animal before. 

‘I’m not even sure what the French word is for giraffe,’ Jean told him in a low voice, not taking his eyes off them. The animals were having their lunch in their enclosure, and the soft sounds and sweet smell of hay were oddly comforting. They were alone except for an elderly couple next to them who were eating ice cream and holding hands. 

Jeremy dug out his phone - ignoring the multitudes of photo messages he was getting from the rest of the team - and looked it up.

‘It’s girafe,’ he said. ‘With just one F.’

Jean nodded. ‘Maybe I did know that,’ he said vaguely. He caught Jeremy’s eye and they both grinned. It was a fleeting thing on Jean’s part, but true. 

When they went to the big cats area Jeremy asked him what the French word for lion was. 

‘It’s the same,’ Jean said, pronouncing it. ‘Just sounds different.’

‘What about tiger?’

_‘Tigre_ ,’ Jean replied. 

‘Cheetah?’

‘ _Guépard._ ’

‘That sounds like leopard.’

‘That’s the same, too.’

‘No they’re different.’

‘What?’

‘Yeah, I think it’s the spots.’

Jean snorted with laughter. Jeremy looked at him, startled, but couldn’t keep the smile off his face when he saw how Jean’s eyes crinkled with amusement. ‘Shut up,’ he added, when he caught Jeremy looking, but he wore a little smile as they went on.

They got to go right up close to the lions. The animals were behind thick glass but Jeremy still found himself a little nervous. The biggest lion was lying right up close, and he got up as they watched. He stalked around for a bit, then looked directly at Jeremy.

‘That’s kind of scary,’ he remarked. 

The lion opened his mouth and roared at him, startling him so bad he almost jumped on top of Jean. He actually did grab his arm and ended up pressed very close to him, heart pounding. Several people were laughing, but Jean wasn’t. A laugh was fading on his face as he looked down at Jeremy, still clutching his arm. 

‘Jesus,’ Jeremy wheezed, rubbing his chest with his free hand.

‘Are you ok?’ Jean asked.

‘I’m fine, I wasn’t scared … I guess that was objectively very cool,’ Jeremy said, weakly. ‘My heart’s just … fast.’

Jean smiled, and patted Jeremy’s hand. ‘Sure. Not scared.’ 

Jeremy finally realised he was still grabbing him, and let go with a flush. 

‘I’m glad you were the only one here for that,’ he admitted, with a sheepish grin. 

Jean shrugged. ‘I won’t tell anyone you were scared of the big cat,’ he said. ‘But do you want to hold my hand? The tigers are next.’

‘Jean, what’s the French word for a smartass?’

They moseyed on, bickering companionably. Jeremy knew in his heart that witty banter was good for Jean’s soul; he could feel him becoming more comfortable at his side, though he still hadn’t lost that wide-eyed amazement at each new animal they encountered. 

They had fun at the monkey enclosure. Jeremy pointed out that the gorilla scratching his belly looked exactly like Connor, and sent him a picture of it just for good measure. Jean was reading one of the signs about the gorillas. “Raised in captivity”, he read aloud. He cocked an eyebrow at the gorilla, who was now flat on his back looking extremely bored, and added in a deadpan voice ‘Same’. 

Jeremy was laughing before he realised that might be insensitive, but Jean appeared to enjoy his response.

There were water animals too. They watched a polar bear tearing a carcass to shreds in the water, just a few feet below them. Jean even took a photo, which was a level of attention Jeremy hadn’t seen from him before. Jean tended to pass through the activities Trojan life forced on him, barely scratching the surface of anything. Seeing him actively participating and enjoying something was a bit of chicken soup for Jeremy’s soul, so he could hardly imagine what wonders it was doing for Jean’s own poor, battered one.

They watched a group of otters gambolling and leaping in and out of the water. Jeremy made a comment about it looking like a lot of fun - it did - and Jean looked at him for a moment before asking ‘Is it true you can’t swim?’

Jeremy jerked his head around incredulously. ‘What? What makes you - who said that?’

Jean shifted, uncomfortable with the sudden scrutiny. ‘Nothing, sorry,’ he mumbled, turning away slightly. Jeremy was too surprised by the question to react quick enough, and Jean moved away.

He caught up to him towards the penguins, and they watched them in silence for a few minutes before Jeremy found his voice. 

‘I didn’t mean to snap at you,’ he said gently, his voice low. He stood slightly behind Jean, giving him space. ‘I just didn’t expect that.’

Jean half shrugged without looking at him. It was painfully obvious that he was very embarrassed, but Jeremy was determined to salvage something from this. 

‘I _can_ swim,’ he said, forging bravely ahead. ‘Just - not very well. It’s a long story.’

He hadn’t intended to tell it, but Jean was finally looking at him now, seeming to think that’s what Jeremy was about to do. Resigned, Jeremy said ‘I fell off a boat when I was six. I didn’t drown or anything - they scooped me right out again - but for like, twenty seconds or something, I couldn’t see anything or swim and I _thought_ I was drowning. Ever since then I’ve been afraid of the water.’

Jean frowned. ‘So, you never learned?’

Jeremy shrugged. The little penguins honked at him, and he gave them his attention instead of staring into Jean’s beautiful grey eyes. ‘My parents made me get lessons after that, so I could conquer my fear. I learned the _theory_ of swimming. They teach you that in the first class, before they make you stick your head under the water. Once that started - well, I just stopped going. I’d hide in the bathrooms until the class was over, then wet my hair in the sink and go outside to meet my mom.’ He laughed. ‘My first and only childhood rebellion.’

Jean didn’t say anything, and Jeremy couldn’t stop himself from looking up and searching his face for something, anything. He was startled when he found something like recognition there.

‘I’m sorry that you’re still afraid,’ Jean said. It wasn’t what Jeremy had expected; he nodded, slowly. 

‘Thanks,’ he said. 

The moment hung weirdly between them, but it wasn’t awkward. He felt suddenly like he could fall down into the way Jean was looking at him, if he let himself.

‘I know what it feels like to be afraid of something,’ Jean said abruptly. ‘Something small.’ 

Jeremy blinked, surprised by the sudden emotion in Jean’s voice.

‘What are you afraid of?’ he asked softly. 

Jean stared at him with haunted eyes, totally at odds with their cheery surroundings. 

‘Sorry,’ Jeremy murmured. They were standing side by side; he reached out and rubbed Jean’s arm a little. ‘I didn’t mean to bring anything up.’

Jean was still looking at him. ‘You didn’t,’ he said slowly, after a moment. ‘I just …’ He shook his head slightly. ‘Never mind.’

Jeremy would ordinarily have encouraged sharing, but his normal rules never seemed to really apply with Jean. It was best not to push him to talk. Jeremy just gave his arm another squeeze and let him go with a smile. 

‘Ok,’ he said, gently. ‘Come on, where to next?’

They walked side by side as the ground sloped down and they entered the underground tunnels that ran below the water. Jeremy had been wondering what to say next; he had a bubbly comment all lined up, but it fell out of his head when they reached the first tank - the seals - and he looked over at Jean. 

Ripples from the sunlight in the water moved across his face, luminous in the darkness of the tunnel. The seals danced beneath the water. Some streaked back and forth playing games while others lazed about, swimming slowly in front of the vast window. Jean’s eyes were wide, his expression transfixed. Something lurked deep within his gaze; something that had been locked away for a long time, Jeremy thought. 

After a long period of silent viewing they moved further down the tunnel and entered an underwater world. There were the penguins and the otters splashing and diving about in their own tanks, and then a giant circular tank at the end full of all kinds of different fish. The viewing area was in darkness apart from the light coming in from above the water, and they stood surrounded by the glass and the water.

‘It’s like a reverse fishbowl,’ Jeremy said, amazed. Jean had no reply. 

They sat down on one of the observation benches to watch. There was no one else around, which might have been why Jean felt comfortable enough to speak. 

‘I used to be afraid of the water too,’ Jean said. His voice echoed slightly in the otherwise empty space.

Jeremy looked at him. ‘When you were a kid?’

The corner of Jean’s mouth curved up ever so slightly as something like fondness flickered across his face. It might have been a ripple from the light in the water. 

‘No, as a child I loved the water,’ he said. ‘I went swimming in the sea every day with my friends, after school. I was supposed to go straight home, but we would run along the beach instead. Throw off our uniforms and run into the waves before our - nanny? Nannies? - before they could catch us,’ he finished, after a nod from Jeremy. ‘Run on the beach some more to dry off. There was always sand in all my shoes.’

Jeremy had to smile at the image of Jean as a youngster, with tousled hair and freckles on his face, racing about on the beach. 

But the smile on Jean’s own was fading, as quickly as it had come. The light on his face no longer seemed bright, but heightened the shadows under his eyes and the darkness within them. 

‘I could not swim at … in Virginia,’ he said, sidestepping the name of Edgar Allen like he almost always did. ‘And then, he …’ Jean swallowed. His eyes dropped from water tank, to his hands, lying in his lap. ‘He did all kinds of things, but - he watched a report on the news, about prisoners in Abu Ghraib. How they were waterboarded. He wanted to see if it was as effective in real life as they said it was. And …’ Jean’s breath shook as he exhaled and said the rest in a rush. ‘And then nine more times, because it really, really is.’

Jeremy couldn’t immediately process that. The words didn’t seem real, and he could only frown in confusion. While he was still frowning, Jean added, ‘It took me years to be able to stick my head under the shower. I had to cup water in my hands to wash my hair. Even wetting my face with a cloth was …’ He closed his eyes briefly. 

Jeremy felt like he was drifting in a haze of horror. Jean spoke of it so matter-of-factly that Jeremy couldn’t make himself believe, even though the truth was written all over his face. 

‘And now?’ he managed to force out. If Jean was still afraid then how could sitting in this room be anything but a bad memory for him, at best?

Jean turned his eyes on him. They were luminous in the half-light. 

‘A few months before Kevin left, he pushed me into the pool.’ 

Jeremy blinked; he hadn’t expected Kevin’s name at all.

‘I can’t even remember why we were there,’ Jean mused, sounding almost thoughtful now. ‘I think he said that we were supposed to meet him there …  and I didn’t really question anything then. Then he pushed me into the pool and for a minute I was drowning. I couldn’t remember what to do. And then I did. I didn’t drown. Once my head broke the surface he got in with me. He made me show him what to do.’

‘Kevin can’t swim?’

‘He can, now.’ Jean smiled at him. ‘One night, once a week. All we could manage. He learned how to swim, and I … well, I can put my head in the water again. It’s all still there, and sometimes I can still feel it in my chest … but Kevin taught me how to love something again.’

Emotion swam in Jeremy’s chest. He felt confused and upset, even though nothing had happened to him. Jean’s gaze helped him to realise what the words had failed to do at first.

‘Jean,’ he whispered. He didn’t know what else to say, so he reached out and touched his arm gently. Jean didn’t flinch, but he did look at him quickly. 

‘Sorry I got dark,’ Jean said. His tone had lightened. ‘But you did ask.’

They locked eyes for a few moments until finally a small smile curled its way across Jean’s face. 

‘I can teach you to swim, if you like.’

A shiver ran through Jeremy’s body, and he exhaled in relief. He let his forehead rest on Jean’s shoulder and they both laughed a little. 

‘Well, I think if you can do it, then so can I,’ Jeremy allowed, smiling secretly where Jean couldn’t see. 

There were things Jeremy wanted to say to Jean, and they rose up in him now in case things wouldn’t be as easy when they left the water tank. 

‘Jean,’ he said. His forehead was still resting on his shoulder so he raised his head, wanting to look him in the eye. ‘I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I know you already see a therapist and I probably have absolutely nothing to say that she can’t or hasn’t already …’ He trailed off, watched as he was by Jean’s luminous eyes. 

His hand was still on Jean’s arm. Just as he was about to take it away, Jean reached over and put a hand on his leg. He squeezed it once then looked down, seeming shy. Butterflies exploded in Jeremy’s stomach at his touch, so completely out of the blue that he jumped. 

Jean had told him something deeply personal and probably embarrassing for him - though of course it wasn’t something to be embarrassed about at all. The least Jeremy could do was be honest and brave in return. 

He moved his hand from Jean’s arm and slowly placed it over where Jean’s rested on his knee. There was a beat, and then Jean turned his hand over, so they were palm to palm. Jeremy laced their fingers together, feeling a thrill as he felt Jean’s pulse against his own. 

Jeremy smiled at him, a bit nervous. Jean’s face was unreadable for a moment, then a smile curved his lips up until it mirrored Jeremy’s. It felt warm and intimate, something small and private between them that was just theirs. For a moment Jeremy wished they could just stay in here, the two of them, together. 

‘This is nice,’ he said, desperately wishing to know what Jean was thinking. 

‘I know I don’t say much,’ Jean said quietly. ‘I’m not used to … communicating. Sharing. Being a friend, of any kind. I’m sorry that it makes me … difficult.’

Jeremy squeezed his hand, feeling more and more comfortable with it. And excited. He wondered if Jean could feel his pulse picking up.

‘None of those things mean that you’re difficult,’ he said quietly. ‘And even if you’re not used to any of this yet … well, you’re worth the wait.’

Jean’s face flushed, and he ducked his head. 

‘I’m sorry, was that too much?’ Jeremy asked, unable to keep the smile from his face. He leaned in and bumped his forehead against Jean’s shoulder again, and this time he felt Jean turn his own head and rest his chin on Jeremy’s head. 

They stayed like that for a while. A few people came in and looked around, but no one bothered them and they didn’t feel embarrassed or compelled to move. Jean stroked Jeremy’s thumb, and Jeremy was too nervous to raise his head in case he’d feel the urge to kiss Jean and be unable to deny it. 

Eventually, after Jeremy’s phone buzzed repeatedly for a solid minute, Jean said ‘I think we’re needed elsewhere.’

Jeremy smiled. ‘It does seem about lunch time.’ He finally raised his head, and spoke before he could do anything else with his mouth. ‘You hungry?’

Jean sighed a little. ‘I guess,’ he said. 

Jeremy frowned. ‘What’s wrong?’

Jean shrugged. ‘I was just … enjoying myself.’

Jeremy blinked, then beamed at him. Jean rolled his eyes. 

‘Don’t get ahead of yourself,’ he said. ‘I meant the - the animals.’

Jeremy squeezed his hand and leaned in to nose at Jean’s neck. To his delight, he felt Jean shiver. 

‘There’s plenty more still to come after we eat,’ he assured him. ‘Lots more to see. And do,’ he added, quirking his eyebrows. Jean flushed again, but he was smiling again.

They finally roused themselves and made their way out into the daylight. Luckily they weren’t still holding hands, because they were immediately jumped by Laila and Alvarez, and then Connor and Tori within seconds. 

‘No cell service down there,’ Jeremy lied, shrugging. 

‘Those time stamps better be accurate,’ Alvarez said, jabbing her finger. ‘I’m not doing that half-marathon, Knox.’

‘You’re all just hangry,’ Jeremy said, holding up his hands defensively. ‘Lets go eat so I can put you all out of your misery.’

The rest of the rabble were located at the restaurant. Jean put himself between Jeremy and the rest of them at the table so he could eat in peace; apparently no one else wanted to do the half-marathon, either. Jean growled at anyone who came too close, and Jeremy tried not to look too pleased with himself. Their legs were pressed together under the table. 

Between bites of his cheeseburger Jeremy checked off each team’s set of photographs against his list. It was a bigger task than he’d thought - if he was the only one signed up for the half-marathon, Coach would kill him. So he had to get picky. 

‘Jean,’ he said quietly, showing him one picture on his phone. ‘Would you say this is technically something green underneath something big and hairy?’

The picture was of a child’s abandoned juice carton lying next to a mossy rock, near the bear exhibit by the looks of things.

Jean squinted. ‘Whose is it?’ he asked.

‘Scott and Emily’s.’

Jean returned to his food. ‘Yeah, no way.’

Jeremy snorted. ‘Hey Scott,’ he called down the table. ‘Better start training.’

Scott and Emily groaned as the rest of the table laughed and slapped their backs. When Jeremy told them what the death blow had been, Scott exclaimed ‘That one was impossible! What did everyone else do?’

There was some confusion around the table. ‘The gorilla sitting on the grass,’ a few people chorused, followed by more laughter at Scott’s devastated expression.

Jeremy added six more runners before the end of lunch, and made himself unpopular enough that he and Jean were able to slip off by themselves once they’d finished.  

‘Hey, Jean,’ he said, as they looked into the open air aquarium tank. It was only a few feet tall, full of little fish. ‘I was thinking, there are ways to translate the different animal names if you don’t know them. You can just make them up.’ He’d been feeling a bit bad about this - Jean had looked a bit embarrassed when he hadn’t known the words.

‘What do you mean?’

Jeremy gestured. ‘Honestly, it’s how I get through being the captain. I’m never sure how to act, so I just make it up and make it sound like I know what I’m talking about. So, like, if someone asks you what something is in French and you don’t know, just make it up. Like, uh … Lion could be “hairy cat”.’

‘But I know what lion is.’

‘That’s just an example,’ Jeremy said quickly, waving his hands. ‘What’s one you don’t know?’

Jean thought about it, his hands in his pockets. ‘I guess … I don’t know what an otter is.’

‘Ok, that’s fine,’ Jeremy said. ‘But do you know what “sea dog” is?’

Jean huffed in amusement. ‘I suppose it would be chien de mer, but - ’

Jeremy gestured triumphantly. ‘There you go. What else, what else?’

Jean smiled at him a little, indulging him. ‘Ok, ostrich.’

‘Tall bird.’

‘Porcupine.’

‘Pointy mouse.’

Jean snorted. ‘Right, right, I get it.’

Jeremy was smiling at him. They bumped shoulders, then looked into the tank again.

‘Jean,’ he said carefully. He pointed. ‘That little manta ray. What’s that in French?’

Jean cocked an eyebrow, then thought about it. ‘It’s a crepe de mer,’ he decided.

Jeremy raised his eyebrows in amusement. ‘And that would be a … ?’

‘Just what I said, it’s a manta ray,’ Jean insisted. He caught Jeremy’s eye, and relented. ‘It’s a sea pancake.’

Jeremy threw back his head and laughed, delighted that Jean was getting into the swing of things. When he straightened up again, he caught the tail end of Jean’s pleased little smile.

They grew closer as the day went on, and not just in their friendship. Their hands and shoulders brushed, and they nudged each other if they wanted attention. When they stood in the aviary and watched a keeper feed the exotic birds, Jean put a hand on the small of Jeremy’s back. It felt so distracting and so good that Jeremy missed about five minutes of his life enjoying it. 

Jeremy got to go right up close and see the big parrots. He kept taking photos of them.

‘I always have to, like, resist the urge to try and stroke their heads,’ he told Jean confidentially. ‘I know I’d lose a finger but it feels like it’d be worth it, you know?’

He finally tore his gaze away from the gorgeous gold plumes of the parrot to look at Jean, who he found staring at him like the birds didn’t even exist. He was holding his own phone. 

‘I’ve got like, fifty of them,’ Jeremy admitted, putting his phone away. ‘You get a good one?’

Jean glanced at his phone, then slipped it back into his pocket. ‘Sure,’ he said. ‘What’s next?’

The aviary was next to the bug and reptile house, which Jeremy was initially reluctant to enter until Jean put a hand on his back again and asked nicely. So Jeremy looked and pretended to admire spiders and snakes and lizards in their tanks as though they didn’t make his skin crawl. After a while he gave up and watched Jean instead, who was infinitely interested in everything small and scaly and multi-legged. They walked through the hot house, filled with whirring insects and giant tropical flowers. Small creatures burrowed around in the undergrowth and they stepped carefully on the path, keeping out of their way. Jeremy was jumpy from all the things flying through the air, but he quieted when he caught sight of Jean. He was gazing up at the waxy leaves above him, where a small bird was perched. A giant blue butterfly had landed on his shoulder but he hadn’t noticed, such was his fascination with both bird and tree. Jeremy already had his phone out. He raised it and took a quick photo of Jean, but was slow to lower the phone, staring as he was at Jean’s soft expression of wonder. Jean’s eyes lowered until they found Jeremy’s, where they lingered. 

They passed by the seals again on the way out, somewhat deliberately. To Jeremy’s delight, it was feeding time. The zoo keepers had big buckets of fish guts and were letting eager kids and grossed out adults take handfuls and toss them into the tank. Jeremy and Jean looked at each other with identical expressions. 

‘They’ll never let us back on the bus,’ Jeremy said, gleefully gathering a handful of fish guts. They stank to high heaven, and there were definitely flecks of it on their clothes. 

‘We can run home,’ Jean said, dropping his own handful into the tank and watching the seals scoop it up almost before it was wet. ‘We’ll need the practise.’

Jeremy raised his eyebrows. ‘We?’

Jean’s gaze flickered briefly to him. ‘Well, I didn’t turn in any photos either,’ he said lightly. 

‘You don’t have to - ’

‘Feed the seals, Jeremy,’ Jean interrupted him, flicking his fingers at him. Something pink landed on Jeremy’s chest, and he raised his eyebrows. 

‘Pink is not my colour,’ he said, frankly.

Jean shrugged. ‘It is now.’

They had to scrub their arms up to the elbows in the toilets afterwards to get rid of the smell. Even using the medicinal-smelling soap the zoo provided they could still smell it off themselves. 

‘You missed a bit,’ Jeremy commented, flicking some water at Jean in retaliation for the fish guts. A poor return, but Jean really was too attractive for anything more. 

Jeremy blinked. That was the first time he’d actively acknowledged that he found Jean attractive. The second the thought was acknowledged, it intensified. He was caught off guard when Jean splashed him back.

Jean rarely smiled in humour; it was something in his eyes instead that changed with his mood. They play fought in the bathroom, splashing each other with water from the sinks and trying to get a hold of each other. They ended up tussling in the corner until Jean caught Jeremy’s wrists and held them apart - but only for a moment. Then, he drew him close.

Jean’s hands on his body took him by surprise, but it didn’t take Jeremy long to lean into the embrace. His hands rested on Jean’s shoulders as Jean held his waist.

‘So,’ Jeremy said lightly. ‘Not the most romantic of venues to make a move, but ok.’

Jean shrugged, his expression light. ‘I’m not making a move,’ he said. But that something in his eyes, in lieu of a smile, said otherwise.

’Then what are you doing?’

Jean regarded him. ‘I’m … enjoying the moment,’ he said, running his hands slowly up Jeremy’s back until he shivered. 

‘Fair enough,’ he murmured. He was enjoying it quite a bit too. He ran his palms down over Jean’s chest, feeling how firm and strong he was. Jeremy was, like the rest of the Trojans, well built and muscled. But Jean had the strongest swing in the league, with the arms to prove it, and he was almost six foot three. It was quite something to be pressed up against him. 

‘So, what’s next,’ Jean said, echoing what he’d been saying all day. This time, Jeremy heard the double entendre thrum in his voice. 

Jeremy pretended to think about it. ‘Well, there’s still the petting zoo,’ he said. ‘Have you ever held a rabbit?’

Jean shook his head. ‘No,’ he said, eyes twinkling. ‘I suppose we’d better go then.’

And to Jeremy’s surprise, he released him. His surprise must have shown on his face, because Jean looked amused and reached out for his hand. 

‘Like you said,’ he murmured, as Jeremy took his hand. ‘Not exactly the right venue.’

Jeremy smiled, blushing a little. They wandered out into the park again, this time holding hands. They dropped them occasionally to look at things and when their teammates caught up to them, but whenever they were side by side their fingers brushed deliberately.

The petting zoo was almost too much for Jeremy. It had been a true pleasure watching Jean lose himself in the wonder of the animals and the freedom of the day - but now he was standing in a hutch, holding a soft bundle of white fur in his hands. He took photos - so many photos. Jean stroking a horse’s nose. Jean crouching beside some lambs, petting their woolly little heads. So many photos of Jean with the rabbits. Jeremy himself was partial to the baby goats; he spent a while letting them dance around him and butt his legs with their tough little heads. 

‘Jean, look,’ he overhead Laila say, holding out her phone. ‘Jeremy and the baby goats. They’re so cute.’

Jean looked at the phone. ‘Which one is Jeremy?’ he murmured, with a glance in Jeremy’s direction. A baby goat butted Jeremy’s leg very hard, but he hardly noticed.

‘So what was your favourite part?’ Jeremy asked, as they headed for the exit.

‘Oh, I’m not sure,’ Jean mused. ‘There was something about a bathroom …’

Jeremy snorted, ducking his head. ‘I meant what animal was your favourite,’ he said, nudging his shoulder. 

Jean did have to think about it. ‘The seals,’ he said, eventually. They looked at each other, and he didn’t have to explain why. 

‘What about you?’ Jean asked after a moment. ‘The birds, yes?’

Jeremy shrugged and smiled. ‘No,’ he said thoughtfully. ‘I think it’s the lions, now.’

‘What, even though they scared you?’

‘I wasn’t scared, I was merely startled,’ Jeremy said with dignity. Then he lowered his voice and added, ‘Besides, I like to conquer my fears.’

Jean’s lips twitched. ‘You are very brave,’ he admitted, with only a hint of teasing. 

‘Well I’m in good company,’ Jeremy said, sincerely, surprising them both.

The team rattled around in the gift shop, just because it was the last stop before the parking lot. Jeremy slipped away from Jean long enough to buy a sweet little stuffed animal - a grey seal. He tucked it into his back pocket as they left, and only turned it over once they were safe in the relative privacy of their seats on the bus.

‘It’s for you,’ he said, hoping fervently that Jean wouldn’t think it was stupid. Jean took the seal gently, and held it for a moment in his lap before sighing resignedly. He reached into his own back pocket and produced, to Jeremy’s astonishment, a small stuffed lion, of the same variety as his seal. He even had a fluffy mane. 

Jeremy couldn’t immediately respond. He stared at the lion, dumbstruck. He knew that _he_ was an emotional sap who got sentimental and bought souvenirs. He never would have imagined that Jean cared enough to bother as well. That he cared enough about him. The whole thing had fairly caught his tongue.

‘Rarr,’ Jean said suddenly, jerking the lion towards him. Jeremy jumped, and then they had to lean in towards each other to stop everyone from seeing how much they were laughing. Jeremy’s forehead rested against Jean’s shoulder, and Jean’s hand lay on Jeremy’s folded knee, and they bobbed the little animals together between them until they could get themselves under control. Even when they cooled off and separated, Jeremy couldn’t wipe the grin from his face. They kept sneaking pleased little looks at each other, and Jean let Jeremy lean against him the whole way home.

They put their little mascots on the windowsill in their bedroom when they got back, so they could hang out together while Jean and Jeremy were out. After Jean caught Jeremy around the waist in the middle of the room and kissed him senseless  that night, Jeremy felt compelled to shuffle his lion a little closer to Jean’s seal. The seal’s fin rested on the lion’s paw, in a way that almost looked like they were holding hands.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [tumblr](http://thetrojeans.tumblr.com/) and [twitter](http://twitter.com/lazarusthefirst/)


End file.
